DAY FOUR – PRAYING AND PARTAKING OF HOLY COMMUNION TOGETHER AS A FAMILY
December 24, 2021
SELF DISCOVERY FOR GROWTH AND PROSPERITY
January 13, 2022

ATTAINING THE BLESSINGS OF GOD IN THE NEW YEAR, 2022

30th DECEMBER 2021

“For the Gentiles strive after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself “- Matthew 6:32 – 34

As you prepare to enter into 2022, let your hearts be full of thanksgiving for the benefits received so far and the hope of good things to come in the New Year and the years to come. Your resolution for 2022 is to first seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness to gain ALL other things. Therefore, your new year resolutions must revolve around the character of God in your life. How do you make your new year resolutions a part of your holy quest for the kingdom of God and His righteousness? The answer is that your new year resolution must focus on the following agenda:

Your first resolution must centre on a renewed understanding of God, His purpose for you and the saving power of our Lord and saviour, Jesus Christ, for the whole world. 

Your second resolution must focus on the riches of God in Christ Jesus. Always have at the back of your mind that everything you seek from God, you already have them in abundance as contained in His promises to us. Therefore, focus on the will of the Father, and ask that God’s will take absolute preeminence above all things in your life.

Your third resolution is to make constant efforts to obey God’s commands and strive to imitate Jesus Christ in everything you do. However difficult that might be, your daily efforts to conquer sin and adversity will surely give you the Grace to overcome. 

Lastly, resolve to make constant efforts to look up to the holy hills and tap into the presence of the Lord; Ask constantly of God to grant you His Grace to overcome in all situations. Remember that to dwell in the holy hills of the Lord and to receive God’s blessings, you must keep your heart pure, your hands clean, and protect your mouths from uttering anything deceitful (Psalm 24). God will give you the Grace to overcome in all of these things.

The success that we seek is in us, around us and in all things. As I have said previously, 2020 is the first year of the present decade, which is a period between 2020 and 2030. 2020 is gone, already and 2021 is going out. Everything phenomenon and all spiritual alignments that bring forth the glory of God upon His people are deliberately pronounced and orchestrated by God’s divine providence. Therefore, I must remind us that the spiritual gateway to success and abundance for this decade remains open, and the gate will become wider for many to go through at the crossover to 2022. Therefore, I urge you to be focused and be in spiritual alignment to enable you to tap into the positive undercurrent of the moment.

The light of Christ at Christmas is very much potent around us this period to show us the right way to go so we don’t miss the right path to success! Beloved, get yourselves attuned with the light of Christ through fervent prayers in the coming days to move through the gateway crossing over to 2022! Go through with prayers and supplication; Do not lag! As we enter into the New Year, endeavour to reap all the lessons and gains from every situation that comes your way; For every problem has a lesson to impart on you. 

Nevertheless, in times of anxiety and perplexity, always have this saying at the back of your mind; “Every cloud has a silver lining,”; meaning that amid every problem, there exists side by side, a trace of goodness. This trace of goodness is a divine gem left behind by God, not only to heal the wounds of betrayal and disappointment but also, like a compass, to show us the narrow path to perfect healing and restoration. 

As human beings, it is common to have problems or experience one form of suffering or the other at some point in life. It does not matter whether you are a Moslem, Buddhist, Jew, Christian, rich, poor, black or white. For instance, it is common for natural disasters, accidents, terminal ailments, and death to occur. These things affect everyone no matter who they are. But we pray that His Grace will see us through every situation and grant us victory in all respect. 

The Scripture says in 1 Corinthians 10:13 thus, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” That means that suffering is a part of human experience, but God usually would bring forth His healing and restoration to us in a mysterious way.  

As believers, always believe that God has called you for His purpose. Therefore, believe that whatever happens to you in life, God has a purpose for it, and He knows about it, even before it happens! Interestingly, God is telling us today that we should seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and every other thing shall be added unto us. God and His laws are at the centre of His righteousness. Therefore, seeking God means knowing Him, loving Him, and obeying Him. 

Note very well that obedience to God gives the power to attract His blessings, and if we strive to obey, He will give us the Grace to overcome. Therefore, amid pain and confusion, God will work out something good for you, provided you would love God and are ready to follow Him in obedience. 

Obedience to God also entails genuinely loving our fellow human beings from our hearts. Therefore, remove from your hearts every secretes thoughts of evil, jealousy and envy against others. Let love flow freely from your hearts, not in pretence, but genuinely to the glory of God. 

The healing power of God is a mystery that is only released upon us when we do not let go of God in times of sorrow and perplexity (Romans 8:28). But love opens the heart for healing to flow into us. The healing power of God will flow through our hearts when we love God and our neighbours genuinely in obedience to God’s commands. 

I cannot promise you will not experience anxiety in the New Year. But I want you to have the keys to overcome stress and perplexity when they come up in your lives; That was how Jesus grew up, constantly overcoming the devil with the power of the written word. The Scripture says concerning Jesus in Hebrews 5:8, that Jesus, “though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered”.

 I appreciate that Some life problems can be pretty stormy and can shake the roots of our faith. But when we face the storms of life, we must hold onto God no matter how bad the situation might be; God is always there for us. Always remember that:

1. God is the central part of your life; He would not let you suffer without help. If you believe and are ready to rely on God. His divine Spirit will work you out to victory!

2. That the storms of life are the crucible for our faith. 1 Peter 1:7 says that, “so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honour at the revelation of Jesus Christ”. Therefore, trials are the crucible that helps, tests and nurtures our faith to grow. But that does not mean that we will burn to ashes. But it means we will overcome by His Grace if we believe in the power of His divine Spirit.

3. When we have been so tested, and our faith is seen to be genuine, we receive a reward from God. Our faith then becomes a “Living Faith”, which allows us to walk by faith and not by sight. (1 Peter 1:8) 

The good news remains that God is with us in all situations and will not forsake us. Therefore, hold to God in faith and righteousness, and the blessings of the Lord will flow nonstop into your lives. 

PRAYER

Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, I trust that your Grace is sufficient for me. Thanks for deliverance from anxiety and evil circumstances. Give me the power to obey and to follow in the footsteps of my Lord and saviour, Jesus Christ. Father, I know you have called me according to your purpose; therefore, I declare that all things shall work together for my good and to thy glory. AMEN.

FURTHER READING

1 Peter 1:6-9

Mary Lawrence-Dokpesi
Mary Lawrence-Dokpesi
Mary Lawrence-Dokpesi was born in Nigeria to Patrick Abuda Obeakemhe and Juliana Fatimatu Obeakemhe, both from Ogbona Town. With a master’s degree in law, she was called to the bar at the age of twenty-two, and she is currently the principle partner of the law firm Mary Lawrence-Dokpesi & Associates. She is also the founder of two philanthropic organizations: the Living Waters Mission and the Rose Croix Foundation. In addition to law, Lawrence-Dokpesi was drawn to spiritual pursuits at an early age, having begun studying philosophy, theology, chaplaincy, and spirit therapy by the age of eighteen. Inspired by her spiritual calling, she has produced ten intensively researched manuscripts on spiritual matters. Although Understanding the Spiritual was the last to be written, it is the first to be published. Lawrence-Dokpesi is a mother and a wife living in the city of Abuja, Nigeria.

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